Jabberwocky in Storybrooke
by TheJauntyJabberwock
Summary: The Jabberwocky has escaped, and remaining true to her word fled from Wonderland. With the help of Jiminy she claims to be making a fresh start, but not everyone is convinced. Can the monster really change? Will the magic of Storybrooke provide a happy ending again? Or is this all just a part of her deadly game? Rated for violence just to be on the safe side.


It was so…quiet. There was no jabber…jabber…jabber…of fears or thoughts or words. How long had she been here? Pinned to this wall? Left to rot? Forgotten. How many years? Since she had helped Alice and the others, to have her one request ignored. Freedom. It was all she had wanted. Now there was only darkness, and the hunger within. Perhaps…after so many years…she might sleep. Her eyes drifted closed, though it did not truly matter within the pitch and the black. Her eyes drifted closed…and then the sound of steal and metal and the crackle of rust, all grinding together, snatched her attention. _Someone was here_.

She did not move, but she did not have to stir to reach out for the intruder. She could see him without seeing him at all. The beads of nervous sweat trickling down his hair line, perspiration on upper lip as he fumbled to light the torch near the door. His hands were shaking, the firelight flickering in unsteady grasp. The smallest smile curled her lips as she snuffed out the torch, prompting a jump and race of heartbeat to fuel her. She could hear the sweet pitter-patter in his chest so clearly. Of course he was afraid, and she drank it in. It had been so long, and she was so hungry. But she was not stupid, she had to play this right if she was to gain her freedom.

He managed to light it again, and she heard him take a deep breath to steady his nerves. Pretend to be confident as his steps brought him closer. His voice still held a faint hint of a tremble when he spoke.

"Are you there?" she did not answer, the sound of sweeping flames as his torch searched the empty cells and bars. There she was, the warm flames doing nothing for her as light shone through her closed eye lids. He froze, and she allowed him silence before she raised her head, gazing at him through the thick main of white dreaded locks. He held his breath, until he could take the silence no longer.

"I've come-"

"Sssssssssssssh." she was already in his head, moving from room to room, listening to all his wonderful fears.

"I _know _why you've come." instead of threatening she made the words a gentle whisper, drifting along his skin like silken spider webs.

"They've all done nothing but push you around, haven't they? Done, and said, such terrible things. No one appreciates you, do they?" he did not answer, but then he didn't need to.

"Now you've come to free me. To prove to them all that only you, have the bravery to face the beast of legend they all fear. Are you afraid, Tristan?" of course he was, she could taste it the moment he walked in that door. Salt and sweat.

"N-No." That's right, lie.

"They've treated me terribly too. Monsters aren't born, we're created. By a cruel world, filled with cruel people. And they have been cruel to you too, haven't they?" he still didn't say anything, glancing away with discomfort. She could see all the things he feared, all the things he had suffered, so clearly. One fear in particular called out to her, and it was the exact key to her cell that she needed. Her voice lowered, filled to the brim with pain and threatening tears.

"It's been so lonely…" his attention snapped back to her, as she knew it would.

"How long have you been here?"

"I don't know. Hours? Days? _Years_?"

"They say you're a monster. The most terrifying thing in Wonderland."

"Then I suppose I deserve to stay here. Forgotten. Alone. They used me, and when they're done…" she trailed off, but the words had the impact she needed, stirred the right fears in him. Familiarity.

"They use me too." his words were small, but it drew him a step closer. She glanced at him, this young and stupid thing that was drifting in. How neatly spreads her claws, to welcome this little fishy in, with gently smiling jaws.

"And now you want to show them all better…" he nodded, so close to her.

"Those who have wronged me are long gone. Perhaps…I can take some comfort…in helping you?" he considered, but still he feared. The offer was tempting, but he still had just enough sense to hesitate.

"Perhaps…together?" this time the word was a breath and brush of lips against his neck, confusing fear for excitement and driving him forward to grasp the blade handle and glance to her face. He pulled with all his strength, falling backwards as it slid free from her.

She dropped to the floor with a sigh, stretching, popping, joints and bones and muscles into place. Oh did it feel good, just to move so freely again, to stretch! She doubted any human could understand such unmatched elation. Her attention snapped back to the boy, holding _her _blade. No longer was she the innocent victim she had played up, meeting her gaze was watching an oncoming storm at the edge of the sea.

"Thank you." with the short words she crawled towards him as he sat up, and he instinctively flinched as she was inches from him, gazing up with a sly smile.

"What's the matter? Didn't I say we would go together?" he nodded, his poor heart threatening to leap from his chest. She slid a hand over it, smiling at the way it pounded against his chest, and slipped her other hand to the back of his neck. He would have to move the sword beside him as she crawled into his lap, leaning in to brush against his ear with a whisper. He licked lips and closed eyes in anticipation.

"I lied." he didn't have time to tighten hand around the blade hilt and lift it, before she snapped his neck. He fell backwards with a heavy thud, cranium smacking into the hard stone floor, and she took the blade for herself.

"Nothing personal. I don't care for cages." she was up and heading for the exit, a flourish of ruffled feathers at her neck and giddy smile as she walked from her cell blade in hand. She was done with Wonderland. It was time to find a new world to play in…

AN: This was the preview chapter of her escape, the rest shall be placed in Storybrooke. The characters listed in the description will all be playing key roles for the coming chapters. I'm not posting the disclaimer because it is obvious I own none of these characters, it's on a fan-fiction site.


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